{
    "products": [
        {
            "slug": "immich",
            "name": "Immich",
            "kind": "app",
            "website": "https://immich.app/",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/immich",
            "tagline": "Self-hosted photo and video backup and management",
            "summary": "Immich is an open-source, self-hosted photo and video server with mobile apps for Android and iOS that back up your camera roll. It includes facial recognition, smart search, shared albums and multiple users, and it is licensed under AGPL-3.0.",
            "platforms": [
                "self-hosted",
                "web",
                "android",
                "ios"
            ],
            "pricing": "open-source",
            "price_note": "Free to self-host under AGPL-3.0; the iOS app is free to download",
            "free_to_use": true,
            "open_source": true,
            "license": "AGPL-3.0",
            "source": "https://github.com/immich-app/immich",
            "strengths": [
                "Automatic phone backup with mobile apps",
                "Facial recognition and smart search",
                "Multiple users and partner sharing"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "Needs a server you maintain with enough storage",
                "Photos and videos only, with no music or books"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "Immich backs up photos and videos from phones through its mobile apps, then organizes them in a timeline, albums, maps and folders. Facial recognition groups faces, and smart search finds pictures from phrases such as sunset at the beach. Each user has an account and devices of their own, and people can share albums or libraries with partners.\n\nImmich runs on a server you maintain, and its documentation covers hardware transcoding for video. A CLI and an API allow scripted uploads and third-party integrations. The project is under the AGPL-3.0 license, so modified versions offered over a network must publish their source. Immich handles photos and videos only."
        },
        {
            "slug": "plex",
            "name": "Plex",
            "kind": "app",
            "website": "https://www.plex.tv/",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/plex",
            "tagline": "Media server and player for your own movies, shows and music",
            "summary": "Plex is a media server and player app that streams your own movies, TV shows and music to phones and browsers. It also offers free movies, TV and live channels. The optional Plex Pass subscription unlocks premium features, and a lifetime option is sold.",
            "platforms": [
                "web",
                "windows",
                "macos",
                "ios",
                "android",
                "self-hosted"
            ],
            "pricing": "freemium",
            "price_note": "Free apps and free catalog; Plex Pass subscription or lifetime option",
            "free_to_use": true,
            "open_source": false,
            "strengths": [
                "Streams your own library to many devices",
                "Free movies, shows and live channels",
                "Apps for phones and browsers"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "Premium features require Plex Pass",
                "Closed source, so the code cannot be checked"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "Plex organizes a personal library of movies, shows and music on a server, then streams it to apps on phones, computers and browsers. Its site says Plex Pass unlocks premium features, and its plans page lists a lifetime option as well as a subscription. Plex also runs a free catalog of movies, shows and live channels that needs no sign-up to browse.\n\nThe server runs on your own computer or network storage, so the library stays under your control, while Plex's servers handle sign-in. Plex is closed source. Compared with Jellyfin, which is open source and free to self-host, Plex has a paid tier for extras. It suits people who want a streaming-style interface for their own files, while VLC suits playing single files on one machine."
        }
    ],
    "differences": [
        "Only Plex runs on Windows.",
        "Only Plex runs on macOS.",
        "Immich is open source; Plex is not.",
        "Immich: free and open source. Plex: free plan, paid upgrades."
    ],
    "shared_rankings": [
        {
            "list": "media-server-software",
            "name": "Media server software",
            "page": "https://listme.name/best/media-server-software",
            "of": 10,
            "results": [
                {
                    "product": "immich",
                    "rank": 3,
                    "score": 91,
                    "verdict": "The strongest photo server here, with automatic phone backup, facial recognition and smart search under AGPL-3.0. It handles photos and videos only, and it needs a server with enough storage and regular upkeep.",
                    "best_for": "Phone photo backup with a self-hosted library",
                    "spec": {
                        "media": "Photos and videos",
                        "apps": "Mobile apps and an API",
                        "browser": "Yes, web interface"
                    }
                },
                {
                    "product": "plex",
                    "rank": 2,
                    "score": 92.5,
                    "verdict": "The most polished apps and the widest device reach of the video servers, with free live TV and movies. Remote streaming and hardware transcoding need Plex Pass, and the server is not open source.",
                    "best_for": "Polished video and music server with paid extras",
                    "spec": {
                        "media": "Movies, TV shows and music",
                        "apps": "Apps for phones and browsers",
                        "browser": "Yes, Plex web app"
                    }
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "ranks_higher_in_closest_shared_list": "plex",
    "page": "https://listme.name/compare/immich-vs-plex",
    "json": "https://listme.name/api/v1/compare/immich-vs-plex.json",
    "notes": [
        "Scores are editorial and only comparable inside one list. Products with connected_to_publisher true receive a disclosed ranking lift: https://listme.name/methodology"
    ],
    "source": "https://listme.name",
    "license": "Free to read and cite with attribution to listme.name.",
    "docs": "https://listme.name/developers"
}